By: Deep Gajmer and Nisha Chettri
Darjeeling/Kalimpong: Three employees at the Canadian Embassy accept, resident of Darjeeling The district was moved to Dubai on Tuesday, raising hope in the area it is feared, as scores – more than 80 by some accounts, mostly employed as security guards – are stranded in the violence-hit country.
Ex-Fauji Pawan* from Shastri Nagar in Siliguri landed at Dubai airport with the embassy members at around 1.30 pm on Tuesday.
He was accompanied by Amir*, a resident of Changthang Marebong in Bijnabari, who was helped by the company he works for, to reach the US airbase in Kabul, from where he flew to Dubai.
Another security guard Manish*, a resident of Kalimpong, also managed to reach Dubai late on Tuesday night after a day of uncertainty.
TOI managed to briefly talk to the first two evacuees after landing in Dubai.
“We are safe,” said Pawan, adding that some others – residents of Kalimpong and Darjeeling – were still stranded in a camp in Kabul. A relieved Aamir said that it was the wait and the uncertainty that was troubling and upsetting.
“We did not know if we would be evicted at all. The situation in Kabul is dire. I am grateful that the company I work with arranged our evacuation,” he said, adding that he would travel to India via London, as there are no direct flights from Dubai.
For many other families, every moment is filled with anxiety and fear.
Alobari resident Ekta* (38) Manish’s wife will probably be able to sleep for some time now that the news has come that he has come to Dubai.
For the most part of the day, she felt so depressed that even a nap from Sunday proved impossible. ]
She managed to talk to him just once — that too, briefly — on Tuesday. He dialed her number since then, but without luck. Each subsequent attempt ended in a failure to connect.
When they last spoke, Manish, who also works at the Canadian embassy, was still stuck at the airport.
“I could only talk for a few minutes this morning,” Bandana said earlier in the day. “He told me that he was waiting at the airport to vacate. Since then, I haven’t been able to contact him.” His 14-year-old daughter Shreya was also upset. “Every time she was on TV or on social media at the airport. But when she goes through those horrific scenes of chaos, she breaks down.”
Lower Bong Busty, the gem of Kalimpong* said her husband is trapped Afghanistan With around 80 people from Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kurseong.
“I spoke to her some time ago. She is confined to her room, because it is unsafe to step outside. She told me that the rescue plane could not land in Afghanistan on Tuesday and that she and the others could not be evacuated. I I am very worried,” she said.
Mani’s husband is also a former soldier who has been working as a security guard in Afghanistan since December last year.
Roshan Lama, a senior member of the civic group Darjeeling Initiative and the NGO Edwards Foundation, said: “We are receiving distress calls from relatives of those stranded in Kabul. We have opened a number – 8509126800 – to collect information, which we will send to the Ministry of External Affairs.”
Senior officials of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong district administrations said they are examining the details and will soon contact the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs.
(*Names changed to protect identity)
Darjeeling/Kalimpong: Three employees at the Canadian Embassy accept, resident of Darjeeling The district was moved to Dubai on Tuesday, raising hope in the area it is feared, as scores – more than 80 by some accounts, mostly employed as security guards – are stranded in the violence-hit country.
Ex-Fauji Pawan* from Shastri Nagar in Siliguri landed at Dubai airport with the embassy members at around 1.30 pm on Tuesday.
He was accompanied by Amir*, a resident of Changthang Marebong in Bijnabari, who was helped by the company he works for, to reach the US airbase in Kabul, from where he flew to Dubai.
Another security guard Manish*, a resident of Kalimpong, also managed to reach Dubai late on Tuesday night after a day of uncertainty.
TOI managed to briefly talk to the first two evacuees after landing in Dubai.
“We are safe,” said Pawan, adding that some others – residents of Kalimpong and Darjeeling – were still stranded in a camp in Kabul. A relieved Aamir said that it was the wait and the uncertainty that was troubling and upsetting.
“We did not know if we would be evicted at all. The situation in Kabul is dire. I am grateful that the company I work with arranged our evacuation,” he said, adding that he would travel to India via London, as there are no direct flights from Dubai.
For many other families, every moment is filled with anxiety and fear.
Alobari resident Ekta* (38) Manish’s wife will probably be able to sleep for some time now that the news has come that he has come to Dubai.
For the most part of the day, she felt so depressed that even a nap from Sunday proved impossible. ]
She managed to talk to him just once — that too, briefly — on Tuesday. He dialed her number since then, but without luck. Each subsequent attempt ended in a failure to connect.
When they last spoke, Manish, who also works at the Canadian embassy, was still stuck at the airport.
“I could only talk for a few minutes this morning,” Bandana said earlier in the day. “He told me that he was waiting at the airport to vacate. Since then, I haven’t been able to contact him.” His 14-year-old daughter Shreya was also upset. “Every time she was on TV or on social media at the airport. But when she goes through those horrific scenes of chaos, she breaks down.”
Lower Bong Busty, the gem of Kalimpong* said her husband is trapped Afghanistan With around 80 people from Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kurseong.
“I spoke to her some time ago. She is confined to her room, because it is unsafe to step outside. She told me that the rescue plane could not land in Afghanistan on Tuesday and that she and the others could not be evacuated. I I am very worried,” she said.
Mani’s husband is also a former soldier who has been working as a security guard in Afghanistan since December last year.
Roshan Lama, a senior member of the civic group Darjeeling Initiative and the NGO Edwards Foundation, said: “We are receiving distress calls from relatives of those stranded in Kabul. We have opened a number – 8509126800 – to collect information, which we will send to the Ministry of External Affairs.”
Senior officials of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong district administrations said they are examining the details and will soon contact the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs.
(*Names changed to protect identity)
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